Default Multiple Version Selection

[elpoolet 26]

On 9/19/2026 at 11:48 AM, gregsnell said:

I feel that ultimately the best solution to this issue would be to have seperate "Version" and "Edition" conventions. If my understanding is correct then the existing version system was designed for the same video with different resolutions. IMHO this functionality should entirely invisible to the end user (always use the best quality version that the display can handle).

 

Hi @gregsnell

Even if I really agree with the first part of your sentence (separate Version and Edition), I don't agree at all for the second part (masking the Version to the EndUser).

In my Llibrary I have several versions of the same movie.
Let me explain, and consider the following versions (not editions, which can add items to selection)

 - the 1080p BluRay version with all languages and an average bitrate at around 50Mbps
 - the 1080p vp9 version with only French language (I'm French) at an average bitrate of 2Mbps
 - the 4k x265 Bluray version with several languages
 - the 1080p h264 version with only French at an average bitrate of 10Mbps

If i play  on my phone at home, which versioin will your option select ? IMHO, on my phone the 1080p vp9 at 2Mbps version is enough.
On my TV which is 4k compatible, I'm pleased to play the 4k version
On my home cinema (with a FireTV stick), the 1080p version is OK, but If I launch the BluRay version, playing is not correct even if tagged as supported.
And when I'm outside home, I only (unless rare occasions) play the vp9 2Mbps version. No need to play the 1080p h264 version even if my connection supports it.
 

To me, the best option is to create a priority index for the version you want to play tied to resolution/bitrate/codec with a weight to each version.
By default the version offered is the version with the larger weight or the less weight, but, the final user must have the control on his choice.

 

 

Here's an example of a movie with multiple versions and multiple editions.

Why do I have such a number of versions ?

the bitrate of the client connections, the fact I don't want my server to transcode, and the fact that I recode all my audio tracks to have an EBU-R, ut I want to keep the oroiginal tracks, the fact that the Emby web player does direct play only with the first audio track, the fact that since the "fusionned" version (android - FireTV) of Emby app the FireTV doesn't play anymore he-AAC5.1...
 

an exemple of audio tracks used : 

 

 

My dream : 

In the admin interface, I can set a priority for each version depending if the client is inside or outside the LAN eg
 - inside the LAN the h264 could be the first choice
 - outside it could be the vp9 version

But the client can choose to change this setting, unless the admin doesn't enforce this.

it cloud be a tag in the naming convention such as [v=vp9 web] and for the edition it could be [ed=Director's Cut].

I agree the filenames could be very large such as :
 - the folder : "Seul sur Mars - (2015) - [tmdbid=286217]"
     - the file : "Seul sur Mars - (2015) - [tmdbid=286217] [ed=extended] [v=h264 30M].mkv

 

Sorry for the novel !